Call: 01392 678082

Established 2004

Ruddlesden geotechnical

Ruddlesden geotechnical provides ground investigation, geotechnical consultancy and contamination assessment services.

Based in Exeter, but covering the whole of the UK, albeit primarily concentrated in the South West, Ruddlesden geotechnical was formed in 2004.

Ruddlesden geotechnical works on behalf of a wide client base, including local, regional and national housing developers, housing associations, commercial developers, building contractors, structural and civil engineers, architects, building consultants, quantity surveyors, local authorities and private individuals.

Development projects range from single dwellings and extensions to large housing estates, multi-storey flats, offices, industrial units, roads, slopes, schools, hospitals and basements.

The services and projects listed on this web-site provide an indication of those undertaken by Ruddlesden geotechnical, but others are carried out. If your requirement is not readily identifiable on this web-site, please contact us as we may still be able to help you.

  • AGS
  • Constructionline
  • CSCS
  • SMAS
  • ECFC trust

Latest news

Recent projects

  • Latest news

    27 Aug 2026

    LiDAR, UAV and GIS used for Slope Stability Assessment

    Geoff Davis has recently been working on another coastal caravan site with slope stability problems.On this site, Lewis Brown Chartered Land Surveyors used remote sensing (LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)) from a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) to help understand the locations and magnitude of ground movements.Ruddlesden geotechnical then used GIS (Geographic Information System)  to highlight areas of concern, to quantify the degree of movement, which might have otherwise been missed.These technologies have been great in helping us understand the landslide processes at this site and, equally importantly, convey to others what is happening. However, they are of little use without a detailed understanding of the geological and geomorphological processes, which inform the all-important ground model, i.e. they should be seen as a useful tool to help us understand and communicate landslide processes, rather than a replacement for the understanding of them.

    LiDAR, UAV and GIS used for Slope Stability Assessment
    LiDAR, UAV and GIS used for Slope Stability Assessment

  • Recent projects

    Coal Mining Assessment, Somerset

    A Phase 1 Geotechnical Assessment and Coal Mining Risk Assessment indicated that a proposed residential development site in Nailsea was potentially at risk from mining-related subsidence as a result of shallow mine workings within the coal seam beneath the site. Ruddlesden geotechnical designed a scope of works to investigate the historical mine workings to assess as to whether the collapse of said workings could foreseeably affect any future residential development of the site. The geotechnical investigation comprised trial pits and trenches, followed by rotary open-hole boreholes. The trial pits were used to inspect the near surface ground conditions and historical mine entries, whilst the boreholes were used to determine the depth of coal seam(s) and historical workings beneath the site. The results of the investigation were used to produce a geological cross-section of the site and ground model, which were used to assess the risk of mining-related subsidence. By virtue of the depth of mine workings, and the working height, it was considered that future development was unlikely to be affected by historical mining.

    29-nailsea-1

  • Recent projects

    Foundation Inspections Reduce Construction Costs, East Devon

    Ruddlesden geotechnical are currently undertaking foundation inspections on a plot-by-plot basis for a regional housing developer at a new residential development site in East Devon. The consulting engineer had specified that all foundations be reinforced to accommodate local changes in the ground conditions, identified in the original geotechnical investigation. However, following a reduction in site levels, the majority of footings were to be founded in the relatively more homogenous underlying Dawlish Sandstone Formation and, where not encountered, it was found to be more cost effective to deepen foundations into the Dawlish Sandstone Formation, rather than reinforcing shallower footings, founded in the overlying superficial deposits. Ruddlesden geotechnical are responsible for providing an account of the ground conditions encountered in each foundation excavation and specifying whether further excavation (or reinforcement) is required for each plot.

    27-foundation-inspection-clyst-st-mary-reduced-1